There are few decisions more critical for a company than the hiring of the leadership of their sales
organization. Yet, few know how to do it well.

There
are few decisions more critical for a company than the hiring of the leadership of their sales organization.Yet, few know how to do it well. Many err and “promote” their best seller to a sales management position.
Why this is called a promotion is beyond me. The job of the sales manager is vastly different than that of a sales person,
so why is this considered employment elevation? Often times, sales managers earn less than the top sales people. Promotion?

Some
sales people make the transition successfully, but many struggle with the change. Sometimes, it is a mismatch of the person
to the role. However, more frequently, the struggle is caused by the lack of recognition by the company that this is not a
promotion, but rather a move into a completely new job. How do you handle an employee in a new job? You train, mentor, and
monitor their performance! Look, most people don’t come out of the womb with the skills required to be an effective
manager. Thus, it is a key responsibility of the company to recognize that when moving their top sales person into that role
they need to own the development of that individual. A congratulatory handshake and smile just won’t get it done.

Many
companies look for their sales management candidates from outside their organization. This approach also has its challenges.
Whether you promote from within or hire from outside, consider these five points to make sure you find the right person for
the role.

§Selling versus Managing. If you consider the broad spectrum of responsibilities from selling business directly to managing a team, what percentage
of the time do you expect this person to be focused on personal selling versus managing? As mentioned above, the skill set
required for those two responsibilities is vastly different. It is also difficult to find professionals that have equal strength
in both skill sets. Often times, there will be a trade-off. If there is a sacrifice to be made, it makes the best sense to
select someone who has their primary strength in the more predominant part of the responsibility.

If
the decision is made that the position has equal responsibility for selling and managing or the dominant responsibility is
selling, it may make sense for an internal hire. This allows the company to develop a new manager. However, the plan falls
down if the company is not committed to a development plan.

§Creating versus Executing. Another consideration is what your expectations of the sales manager are relative to developing the company’s
sales architecture® (the framework of the sales organization). In some companies, there is a plan already in place and the
job of the sales manager is to ensure the plan is executed as written. In essence, the job is to motivate the troops and coach
them to make sure revenue targets are achieved. This is usually the case for mid-level sales managers.

In
other situations, the primary job is to establish the overall direction of the sales organization, formulate the compensation
plan that supports that direction, and execute the plan. Needless to say, this is a very different profile than the sales
manager described above.

§Title versus Responsibility. Check any job board and you will find a plethora of titles referring to sales management. However, there is not a direct
correlation between title and responsibilities. This can create a disconnect with the new manager and with clients if those
two are not synchronized. If you are going to give someone the title of “Vice President,” there is an inherent
expectation that this is a high-responsibility, high-authority position. When clients hear that title, they believe that this
person is a senior-level person in the company and can make decisions. Thus, this can create client frustration if the responsibility
and authority are not consistent with the title.

At
the other end of the spectrum, calling this person a “sales manager” creates a more junior-level perception. There
is nothing wrong with the term, but it is important that you recognize the created perception. Again, this can cause issues
with both the person in the role and clients if the responsibilities don’t match the title. Some very good sales management
candidates will elect not to apply to your company because they believe it is a junior-level role.

§Interviewing. Probably
the toughest role for which to interview is the sales manager. For one, they are experienced in interviewing. They know the
desired answers. They know the sales lingo and buzz words. How do you get past the fluff and get your real answers? One way
is to develop a list of benchmark questions that candidates are asked. This allows for comparison of answers among the candidate
pool. (Send me an email and I will send you my favorite 20 questions.) It is important that the questions not follow a sequence so that the candidate cannot build off their prior answers. Be sure
to document the responses to each so you can review them later. You will be amazed by what comes out of this step of the process.

Another
important consideration when interviewing these candidates is with whom they will need to have a healthy business relationship
to be successful in their role. For example, there is an inherent strife between sales and operations. However, the company
will fail if the leaders of those two areas are not able to work together in a productive manner. Consider the various department
leaders with whom this person will interact and engage them in the process. This also helps the new manager assimilate into
the organization once they are onboard.

§The Ultimate Screening Tool. The most effective tool that I have found in screening sales management candidates is the request for the submission
of a written business plan. When the candidate has satisfactorily completed all of the other steps of the pre-offer process,
the request is made for a one-page business plan that shows how they would approach the job. I mention the one-page scope
three times in the conversation so my expectations are clear. The candidate is asked by when they can submit the document.
It is important that the submission date be asked of the candidate, not the other way around as you will see in a moment.

The
benefits of this step are numerous. For one, it shows if the candidate can communicate in written form. Writing is a lost
art in business, but a critical one for someone in a leadership role.

Another
benefit is that it shows if the candidate understands what the role entails. A number of hours have been spent with the candidate
by this point. If they are near the finish line, they should have a clear vision of the expectations.

Another
is to see if there is a synergy in the approach to the role. It is best to see before the marriage is performed if their approach
is aligned with the leadership’s vision.

Still
another is the ability to see if this person can meet a self-imposed deadline. I asked when he could have the plan to me.
He provided me with a date and time. If it is late, the candidate is no longer considered for employment. End of story.

Finally,
in this role, I am the client. I’ve asked for a one-page plan, not an epic. Do they follow directions? Or do they ignore
what the client desires and do whatever they want. While I don’t eliminate candidates solely for this, I refer to this
in a follow-up session with the candidate.

One
final point that is critical when hiring is to background screen. Resume fraud is at an all-time high! Candidates lie about
employment history, salary history, and their education experience, not to mention criminal history. Find a reputable firm
to do this work for you.

Finding
the right person for your sales management role is difficult. It is also expensive. These five keys will help mitigate the
risk and create a happy, healthy sales marriage between you and your new employee.